PSU wants to know official position of government on three per cent increase

The Public Service Union (PSU) has asked Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves to indicate, within seven days, whether it is the official position of the government, that public servants are unlikely to get their three per cent increase by December.{{more}}

In a letter to the prime minister dated September 18, president of the PSU Cools Vanloo referred to a story carried in SEARCHLIGHT on September 14, in which Gonsalves is quoted as saying that it is unlikely that public servants will get the increase by the union’s deadline of December 2012.

The article in question was a backpage story, headlined: “PSU issues ultimatum to government”.

Vanloo’s letter asked: “Would you indicate to the Union, within seven days of this letter, whether this is the official position of the government on the matter?”

The letter from the PSU was copied to the National Workers Movement, Commercial, Technical and Allied Workers Union, St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers’ Union and the Police Welfare Association.

The PSU had last week threatened to take industrial action across the public sector institutions, if the government failed to pay the three per cent owing to public servants by December 2012.

According to a release from the PSU, dated September 10, this decision was made following a meeting of the membership on September 6, called to report on a meeting held with Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves on July 22.

Vanloo had told SEARCHLIGHT last week that a further decision to go ahead with industrial action will be made following a proposed meeting with the prime minister in November.

“It depends on what the prime minister says in the meantime; we intend to meet and discuss what is going on,” Vanloo told SEARCHLIGHT then.

It was also noted that the unions were expected to collaborate with one another to ensure that the increase was paid, but again, Vanloo responded that a decision would have to be made after the proposed November meeting.